Mass selection of fonio landraces (Digitaria exilis) grown in Benin: Pathway, homogeneity assessment and genotypes screening.

Fonio production is generally in polyvarietal mixture and no improved varieties are available yet. This work proposed a pathway for homogenization and mass selection from 19 accessions previously collected in Benin, to sort best genotypes. From 2015 to 2017, accessions were submitted to homogenization followed by separated conduct of different phenotypes appeared each year. Each material was evaluated on elementary plot of 3 m2. Agro‐morphological data collected were submitted to descriptive and multivariate analyses. Results showed homogeneity and selection effectiveness varied following characters and accessions. Better homogeneity level was obtained on qualitative characters compared to morphometric traits. Selection led to derivative accessions earlier or more productive than their parents. Thus, compared to parents, shortenings of 10%–30% on plant cycle and progress of 10%–70% in yield were recorded for some derivative accessions. On grains colour, 86% of accessions are homogeneous from 70% to 100%. Three groups characterized by earliness, productivity and grains homogeneity were identified. AS19‐1‐1, AS1, AS13‐1, AS2‐1‐1, AS15‐1‐1 and AS18 were sorted genotypes. Multi‐local assessments will be conducted for homogeneous and efficient ideotypes responding farmer's needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]